Fence-machine



(Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

T. P. VANDEGRIET. FENCE MACHINE.

Patented 11111111 11, 1886.

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FENCE MACHINE. l No. 341,706. Patented May 11,1886.

JJVVEJVTOR l E ,l

'(Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet; 3. T. P. VANDBGRIFT.

y FENCE MACHINE. No. 341,706.

1 JV VEJVTOR PATENT OFFICE.

THEODORE F. VANDEGRFT, OF NOAH, INDIANA.

FENCE-MACHINE.

ICQ-.TIGR forming part of LettersPatent No. 341,706, dated May 11, 1886,

Application iiled'December 1S. 1885. Serial No. 186,030. (Model.)

To @ZZ 107mm/ it may concern:

Be it known that I, THnoDoRE F. VANDE- GRIFT, a citizen ofthe 'United States,resi ding at Noah, in the county of Shelby, State ot' Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fence-lllachines, of which the following is a specification, reference beinghad therein to the accompanying drawings,

This invention relates to machines for twisting wires so as to hold slats in position in the manufacture of combined wireand slat fences, the object of my improvement being to provide a means whereby a series of parallel and horizontal wi res may be twisted alternately in opposite directions,so as to bind between said Wires the vertical slats,so as to hold said slats securely in position.

My invention consists in the construction and combination of the parts,as will be hereinaftcr fully set forth,and specifically pointed out in the claims.

My invention also consists in combining with the twisting device gages, which are carried thereby, for holding and adjusting the vertical slats in position prior to being secured in place by the twisting of the wires,

My invention also consists in the improved means for twisting the wires about the slats by a semicircular rotary 1not-ion,as will behereinafter fully set forth.

In the accompanying drawings,which illustrate my invention, Figure l is a perspective view of ateneo-making machine constructed in accordance with my improvement. is an end view. Fig. 3 is a side view, and Figs. 4, 5, and G are detail perspective views.

Inthe accompanying drawings, A refers to the post or uprighawhich is secured firmly .in the ground, and to this post are secured at equal distances from each other aseries of horizontal wires, a a (t, said wires being arranged in pairs, said wires being indicated by the letters a and a?. rllhe vertical slats which are held in placebetween the twists or turns in the wires are represented by the letters-A.

B refers to a frame, which is secured in the ground at a suitable distance from the post A, beyond the end of the fence,said frame consisting of beams between which pass shafts b and 5o Zi', the shaft Zi being provided with a crank- Fig. 2'

handle for rotating the same. The upper shaft has on one enda windlass,around which a rope passeswhieh is connected tothe end ot' the shaft b, for applying power to the small shaft. Around the centralA portion ot' the small shaft a flexible connection passcs,to the end of which is secured a hook7 b, which engages with the perforated plate c, whichis attached tothe central portion of the vertical bars C C, to which the ends of thewires a and ai are attached. By means of the windlass liereinbefore described the wires are kept taut, and they may be tightened or slaekened, as desired.

The supportingbars of the windlass have attached thereto blocks B, between which the shafts b and l/ pass, and the rotation of said shafts is prevented by frietional contaetof the blocks upon the shafts, bolts being provided for properly adjusting the con tact.

l) refers to a suitably-constructed rectangularpifraine, which consists of vertical side pieces, D', which are connected to each other by transverse end pieces, D, thus forming a rigid rectangular frame. One of the vertical pieces D has secured thereto a handle, d, and opposite thereto is pivotally attached an S- shaped link, lil, as will be hereinafter fully set forth.

lhe upright D', opposite the one having attached thereto a handle, d, is provided at suitable intervals wit-h bars F, which project inwardly therefrom, said bars at their outerends being T-ended and perforated, so as to provide a means for rigidly connecting them to the upright ll', while the inner end is enlarged and provided with segmental slotj", asis fully shown in Fig. (i of the accoinpanying drawings.

G refers to a bar, which is provided centrally with a member, Gf', which projects at right angles therewith, said member carrying at its end a cross-head, y, the ends of which are slotted or recessed, as shown 'at g', and on a line with these recesses f/ the bars G are provided with slots 71J h. The ends of the bars G G are provided with outwardly-projecting bolts 7117i, which are of different lengths, the bolt 7i. being adapted to be passed through the segmental slot fin the arm F, so as to provide IOO side as the projecting member Gl a bentlateh,

II, which is adapted to partially cover the key-hole slots h, and the end of this latch is bifurcated, so as to engage and be held in place by a projecting` pin, i, which engages therewith.

L refers to a gage-plate, which is adj ustably attached, by means of a set-screw, Z, to theY projecting member G', and said gage-plate is adapted to abut against the edge of the vertical slat, so as to regulate the distance between the same. Y

In building a fence with my improved wiretwisting machine the operation is as follows: The horizontal wires c and a, are rst passed through the slots g in the cross-head g, and also through the slots h in the bars G, where they are retained by the latches H. The ends of the wires are then secured to the vertical bars C C, and by means of the windlass attached to the frame B the wires are tightened. The frame D, which carries the twisting mechanism, is now supported so as to be movable longitudinally ou the wires, the lower cross-bar, D, preferably resting upon the ground. IVhen a slat has been passed between the wires, the frame D is moved toward said slat until the gage-plates L abut against the edge of said slat. The handles d and 7c are then grasped by the operator, and the handle k is moved either upwardly or downwardly, according to the position of the bolt t, which may be either above or below the bar I, so as to cause the bar G to have almost a complete rotation, which will cause the wires between the slats to be twisted, each wire having a half-turn upon the other. This twisting movement will cause the wires to be unlocked and partially embedded in the slats, so as to hold said slats securely in position. After one slat has been secured in position the frame Dis moved along the wires and the same operation repeated, the movement of the bar J and the twisters being in an opposite direction. 3y thus organizing the parts the wires at the rear end of the apparatus or near the windlass are not twisted, but are kept 6o uniformly nearly parallel with each other.

It will be noted that by the special construction of the parts, as the twisters are rotated the series of wires are kept equidistant from each other, and when they are located above the bars F the bolt h, which projects from the bar G, will be located in the upper portion of the segmental slotf, and when reversed said bolt will be in the lower portion.

By connecting the frames to each other by an S -shaped link adead-center will be avoided in the direction of the application of the power for rotating the frames.

I claiml. The combination, with-the frame D, of a' bar, J, a link connecting said bar to the frame, arm F, secured to the frame, and arms I, secured to the bar J, and twisting devices pivoted ou said arms F and I, substantially as set forth.

2. In a machinefor the manu facture of combined wire and slat fences, the combination of a movable frame provided on one side with a series of imvardly-projecting arms, a bar attached to the .frame by an S-shaped link and provided with a series of arms, I, bars G, and twisting devices through which the wires pass pivotally connected to the arms F and I, substantially as shown, and for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination, with the movabieframe D, of the bar J, connected to the frame D by a link, arms F, connected to said frame D, twisting devices pivotally attached to said arms F, said twisting devices being provided with slots through which the wires tobe twisted pass, arms I, secured to the bar J and pivotally connected to the twisting devices, and an adjustable gage-block secured to said twisting devices, substantially as shown, and for the purpose set forth.

t. In a combined wire-and-slat-fencemaking` machine, a laterally movable frame provided with inwardly-projecting arms F, having ends with slots f, with which engage projecting bolts formed ou bars G, said bars having slots h, an outwardly-projecting member, G', with cross-head g, having slots g', latches for retaining the wires within the slots h, arms I, pivotally attached to the opposite ends of the bars G and connected to a vertical bar, J, which is attached by a link to the movable frame D, the parts being organized substantially as shown, and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

THEODORE F. VANDEGR/IFT.

IVitnesses:

A. D. MAPLE, Trios. H. TEDLocir.

IOO

IIO 

